New national face of euro coins intended for circulation

(2008/C 89/05)

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For the purpose of informing the public and all parties involved who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 8 December 2003 (2), euro-area Member States and those countries that have concluded a Monetary Agreement with the Community providing for the issuing of euro coins intended for circulation are allowed to issue certain quantities of commemorative euro coins for circulation, on condition that not more than one new coin design is issued per country per year and that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the technical features of normal euro coins intended for circulation, but bear a commemorative design on the national face.

Issuing country: Republic of San Marino

Subject of commemoration: 2008, European Year of Intercultural Dialogue

Description of the design: The inner part of the coin represents the different cultures of the five regions within the European continent, symbolised by five human silhouettes and the sacred texts of the different communities. Arched inscriptions complete the design: at the top, ‘SAN MARINO’, above the year ‘2008’; and at the bottom, ‘ANNO EUROPEO DEL DIALOGO INTERCULTURALE’ and the initials ‘E.L.F.’ of the artist, Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini; to the left, the mint mark ‘R’.

The coin's outer ring contains the 12 stars of the European flag.

Number of coins to be issued:

Date of issue: April 2008

Edge lettering: 2 ★, repeated six times, alternately upright and inverted.

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national sides of all the coins issued in 2002.

(2)  See the conclusions of the Council (General Affairs) of 8 December 2003 on changes in the design of national sides of euro coins. See also the Commission Recommendation of 29 September 2003 on a common practice for changes to the design of national sides of euro circulation coins (OJ L 264, 15.10.2003, p. 38).